


The Loneliness of Magnolias

by Lady_Talla_Doe



Series: For your floral heart [3]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Kiss Kiss Fall in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Resolved Romantic Tension, Tenderness, Unresolved Sexual Tension, disabled viren, even more flower metaphors, hand kissing, soft dads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2020-05-01 21:36:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19185919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Talla_Doe/pseuds/Lady_Talla_Doe
Summary: The day after, when he wakes and Harrow is gone, Viren is filled with self doubt. But Harrow has more then enough to bridge the gap of Viren's hesitation.





	The Loneliness of Magnolias

**Author's Note:**

> for lonespark! thank you for everything :) tender Virrow for you <3

my twitter is [here](https://twitter.com/goblinwrites)

Lonespark's twitter is [here](https://twitter.com/krakenfriendly)

* * *

* * *

 

It didn’t surprise him when the morning light crept through the cracks in his blinds, and he was alone in his bed. He had woken briefly when Harrow had slipped from it, resting a hand tenderly on the side of Viren’s face. Whatever words he had said then had been lost to the exhaustion that had swamped the mage, pulling him back under while he was still wrapped in the sense of warmth and security.

The covers were wrinkled on the opposite side of his bed, the pillow creased from the weight of another person resting beside him. Viren sat up, and touched the creases with the tips of his fingers.

It had been so long since another lay with him in his bed.

Propping his knee up under the covers, Viren crossed his arms around it, letting out a slow breath as he regarded the mused sheets. Nothing untoward had happened. He had slept, held in Harrow’s arms—that aspect wasn’t especially new to them, there had been nights of necessity before now. But the soft, tender kisses… he pressed his mouth into the blankets, and looked away from the left side of the bed.

He was afraid of this change.

~*~

It took him longer to pull himself from his thoughts, and ready for the day. The bells were striking the midday hour by the time he walked into the throne room. In truth, Viren had hesitated many times on the way here; how would Harrow react upon seeing him? He wasn’t sure what frightened him more- a display of open affection, or no sign of change at all.

He had stood for a full quarter hour in the hallway beyond the throne room, hands folded over the head of his staff and gazing absently at the tapestries hung along the walls to keep the heat inside the castle during the long winters. They would come down soon; leaving them for summer would make the halls stifling, and wear the massive knotted clothework out faster. It, like all things it seemed, would eventually break under the weight of itself without given release from its own tension.

Viren snorted softly. There was no sense putting it off any longer.

He was quiet in his entry, staff clicking softly and stride slow and measured. There wasn’t a need to hurry, Harrow was in the middle of receiving the citizens for the day, and Viren was able to settle into a corner. He let his wind wander, looking out the long windows of the throne room and tuned out the chatter.

So lost in thought was the mage that he didn’t notice when the petitions for the day were wrapped up, and the room slowly emptied.

“Viren?” Harrow asked, touching his elbow gently.

Viren startled, but smiled hastily, turning towards Harrow.

“Harrow, hello,” He greeted, awkwardly ducking his head. Viren could feel his cheeks flush, and wondered when exactly he had become to vulnerable to embarrassment.  Harrow stepped back, giving Viren some space, but his smile was warm and not the type he gave to the petitioners. It was very… _personal._  

Viren glanced away, grasping for words. For anything that might cover the sudden panic he felt. Harrow, however, gave him an out- he touched Viren’s elbow again, and gestured to the doors.

“Walk with me? I don’t have much time, but I feel like you and I have many things to talk about.” He kept his hand cupping Viren’s elbow, leading him towards the doors. Viren went without protest, although he was playing through his head a list of things- none good- that Harrow might say.

They walked in silence for several minutes, Harrow leading Viren to one of the smaller side gardens. He stopped at the stone archway, the garden open to the hall, and gestured for Viren to proceed him.

It was a very small side garden; when Viren stepped through, his staff sunk into the soft grass, biting into the soil underneath. Viren paused, and adjusted his gait, stepping carefully one the slate flagstone path laid down, leading towards a single bench stone bench, set underneath a carefully groomed magnolia tree. The large blossoms were just starting to open up, beautiful splashes of colour on the bare brown branches.

He cleared his throat, and crossed to it. It felt strange to sit before Harrow— although they rarely stood on ceremony, there were things that were ingrained, that had long become habits. Viren smoothed a hand down his seat, tucking the tails of his coat under his legs, and settled on the far side of the bench.

Harrow paused, looking down at him. He seemed amused, lips tugging up in a smile that he quickly smoothed away.

“You seem tense.” Said Harrow, taking the seat beside Viren. He had put himself between Viren and the doorway— although the garden was not so small as to feel claustrophobic, it suddenly felt much smaller with Harrow’s leg pressed against his own, their knees touching in a way that before last night Viren never considered intimate. He fought the urge to shift his leg away, feeling the heat on his skin, and twisting his fingers on the head of his staff.

This was all so juvenile of him, like he was a teen again with his first crush. Longing to kiss and be kissed, but scared of the very idea of it.

Harrow’s warm palm settling gently on his knee nearly startled Viren out of his skin. Harrow squeezed his knee to sooth him, but all it did was set Viren’s heart to a jackrabbit’s pace, pounding away in his chest. What a sight he must be, so flustered at such a simple gesture.  Viren looked up, meeting Harrow’s warm gaze.

 _He’s far too patient with me_ , he thought suddenly, embarrassed by his own skittish behavior. He clenched his ink stained hands.

Harrow looked breath taking. He always had, but sitting there in the broken sunlight, the flowers fell around him like a vibrant crown— as earthly and lovely as Harrow himself. The difference between Harrow and the flowers were that unlike the bold magnolia, Harrow wouldn’t bruise if he touched him. He wasn’t fragile, or fleeting; this was something that if Viren was simply brave enough, he could reach out and grasp with both hands.

He hesitated a moment longer, then set his staff aside, and reached out to tentatively touch the side of Harrow’s face. Harrow covered Viren’s hand with his own, as his smile softened, and he turned his body more towards him.

“I was worried that I had scared you off.” Harrow admitted softly, head tilted into Viren’s touch.

Viren shook his head.

“I have been so afraid. To reach out, that this might have been a dream. I know,” he continued hastily, before Harrow could interrupt, “That it isn’t. You were there. You have…. _been_ _there_ , for so long. I didn’t reach out. I was scared to lose you.” He took a deep breath, “Something was better then nothing at all.” Viren confessed softly, dropping his gaze.

His hand was taken gently from Harrow’s face, and his fingers uncurled. Lips lay a soft kiss to his palm as Harrow held his hand so carefully, waiting for Viren.

He tried to push aside the tight feeling in his chest, feeling rooted to the spot like he’d been carved there, sitting beside the bench. Harrow swept his thumb, so gently it made his breath catch, across the tips of his fingers. He pressed his lips to each of Viren’s ink stained fingertips in turn.

“How we have spent our years tip toeing around each other for fear of loosing each other.” Harrow brushed his knuckles along Viren’s warm cheek, resting their joined hand on his knee. “I will wait, and take this as slowly as you need. I have a life time’s worth of patience in loving you, Viren.”

He raised their joined hands once more, and brushed his lips against Viren’s knuckles.

“Even if spring fades into summer, and summer to fall, and the kiss of frost brings colour to your skin, and you still don’t know your answer, I will wait. I won’t mind the time, as it will be spent with you in my heart.”

Harrow stood, and with one final kiss, released Viren’s hand.

He was breathless, wordless. _A life time’s patience in loving me?_

Harrow stepped back, and Viren realized he intended to leave, thinking Viren had no answer for him. He lurched forward, grabbing Harrow’s sleeve.

“ _Yes_ ,” he gasped, eyes wide. “Yes, I- I want. I want a life, filled with you.” Viren was at a loss for words to describe it, but he settled for standing, tugging Harrow back towards him.  The stepped closer, Harrow laying a hand on his waist, and Viren resting his on Harrow’s cheek, still struggling to find the right thing to say.

 _Damn it all_ , he though, before leaning in and pressing hi lips to Harrow’s in a chaste kiss.

“I love you.”


End file.
